Abdominal fat distribution measured by ultrasound and aerobic fitness in young Danish men born with low and normal birth weight

Abstract

Abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue thickness was examined by ultrasound in 17 men with low birth weight (LBW) and 26 with normal BW control individuals to determine if abdominal obesity in LBW individuals is due to increased visceral or subcutaneous fat mass/thickness, or both. Men born with LBW had an increased waist-to-hip ratio (P = 0.04), greater abdominal fat thickness (P = 0.05) and increased visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) thickness compared with controls, however the latter not statistically significant (P = 0.08, P = 0.10). A significant difference between birth weight groups in both SAT (P = 0.04) and VAT (P = 0.03) was found after adjustment for weight, whereas no significant difference in either SAT (P = 0.93) or VAT (P = 0.30) was found after adjustment for BMI. Increased waist-to-hip ratio in LBW individuals is due to increased total abdominal fat including both subcutaneous and visceral fat.